Experienced by Adrian McQueen
Photography by Adrenaline Lifestyles
With the EV market slowing up, automotive manufacturers are still creating new gas vehicles to keep the consumer engaged. The 2024 Mazda CX-900 is making waves as consumers are constantly looking for something comfortable, stylish and able to handle family activities.
The Mazda CX-90 is a rare example of a crossover that blends a great deal of driving fun with all the utility thanks to a well-sorted chassis and communicative steering. The Mazda CX-900 is a full-size crossover SUV with three-row seating. The CX-90 replaced the CX-9 and is now the largest Mazda SUV to date. The CX-90 was revealed on 31 January 2023, for the North American market, and then released in Spring 2023. Trim levels for the straight-six models are: Preferred, Preferred Plus, Premium, Premium Plus, S, S Premium, and S Plus. Trim levels for plug-in hybrid models are the Preferred, Premium, and Premium Plus. The model that we received to review was the 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus.
Upon first look you notice the long sloping hood and prominent large Mazda emblem on the CX-90. This Signature edition CX-90 adds LED lighting to the signature grille, LED headlights plus LED fog and daytime running lights. The model that I received came in a Rhodium White Metallic hue. The exterior of the CX-90 is beautifully designed with the body colored rear roof spoiler, bright finish exhaust outlets, all sitting on 21-inch alloy wheels.
The interior of the CX-90 has luxurious touches all the way through it. Mazda employs Kakenui, which is a uniquely Japanese stitching technique, that creates “hanging stitches”. Seating six people comfortably, the cabin has NAPPA leather trimmed 1st and 2nd row seats, heated and ventilated front seats and a heated leather steering wheel. The CX-90’s second row is a 60/40 split-folding bench seat while the third row is a 50/50 split-folding bench that flipped into the floor to create a completely flat cargo area. The tech inside the CX-90 is equally up to par with a 360-degree-view exterior camera system, SiriusXM Travel Link, a digital gauge display. The luxurious Signature trim comes with a new wood trim inside and exclusive exterior badging. The dashboard features a 12.3” color center display at the top of it and a 12.3” fully digital LCD meter. A variation of tunes came blaring from the 12 speaker BOSE system as we cruised around town. It was a pleasure to be able to choose from Sirius XM, Pandora, Apple Car Play and Android Auto.
The throttle response was quick and boost from the turbo is instantaneous, which is needed for this big vehicle. The CX-90 feels heavy and solid but the Sport mode in the six-speed automatic transmission definitely adds some pep in your step while the normal mode set us up for a more relaxed commute. The G-Vectoring Control system reduces engine torque to help settle the front end so the SUV would take the turns smoothly. The suspension setup has been refined to offer a smoother and quieter ride. The 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-six is good for 340 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. It was surprisingly very good on gas averaging 23 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway and 25 mpg combined. If you plan on pulling a trailer, know that the CX-90 has a maximum capacity of 5,000 lbs.
The Mazda CX-90 continues to earn a Top Safety Pick honor from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It received overall Good and Superior ratings on all categories except the non-turbo models, which received an Acceptable rating on headlights, as only the turbo models are offered with adaptive headlights. Key safety features in i-ACTIVESENSE package in the CX-90 include traffic sign recognition, smart brake support, Mazda radar cruise control, automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane keep assist, adaptive front headlights, lane departure warning, front obstacle warning, distance evaluation, braking assist and pedestrian detection.
Mazda has a bumper to bumper warranty that covers 3 years or 36,000 miles, a Powertrain warranty covers 5 years or 60,000 miles and 24 hour roadside assistance. Key competitors to the Mazda CX-90 are the Honda Pilot, Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, Toyota Highlander, Subaru Ascent, Nissan Pathfinder and the Volkswagen Atlas. The model we reviewed comes in at $61,920.00 and very well worth price tag considering the size, safety and comfort of the vehicle. Please enjoy the photo gallery
